BUNGAREE’S Ricky Cummins kicked a breakaway goal in the dying minutes to secure his side a thrilling 18-point win over Beaufort on Saturday.

The victory moves the Demons into second place on the Central Highlands Football League ladder, setting up a top-of-the-table round 15 clash with Buninyong next weekend.

Neither team managed to gain an advantage early in the contest as rainfall intensified, and scores were level at 10 points apiece at half time.

Bungaree was intent to stamp its authority on the match in the third quarter and slowly moved the football into scoring range to convert three goals, the most in a single term for the game.

In the last quarter, Crows Jake Garvey and Chris Drew put immense pressure on the ball carrier, but it was unclear which side would strike first on the scoreboard.

An uncontested Cummins emerged as the ultimate opportunist when the ball dropped at his feet. He ran 45 metres to boot his second major and the final score of the match.

Bungaree coach Heath Pyke told The Courier he was relieved to win a testing encounter.

“In the conditions today it was always going to be a slog. Before the game we spoke about how much of an effort was required to win, and that came down to a mental application and the will to win,” Pyke said.

“The win gives us plenty of confidence and momentum moving into the next fortnight of matches.”

Matt Harington capped off his senior debut for the Demons with a superb performance at centre half back, while David Benson was a constant contributor in the ruck.

“It was a really pleasing performance against a good side, but we competed for 95 percent of the game and it was only the last few moments that the chance to win was gone,” Power said.

“We will reflect on the final outcome, but I’m happy with the overall performance.”

Tim Hasse and Jack Duke were the only goal-kickers for the Crows, while Mick Foster was named best on ground for the beaten brigade.

While the Demons have a game against the Bombers to prepare for, the Crows get set to take on Ballan next weekend.

Buninyong 8.9 (57) d Creswick 3.5 (23)

By Tim O’Connor

BUNINYONG broke a game clear at the top of the league ladder after beating Creswick on Saturday.

The Bombers defeated the Wickers by 34 points at Doug Lindsay Reserve ahead of a clash with second-placed Bungaree.

Sam Turner kicked two goals for the victors, which named defender Jack Robertson as its best, ahead of onballer Ned Gilbert and tall Liam Rigby. Midfielder Aaron Hepworth was among the standouts for Creswick.

Gordon 6.8 (44) d Hepburn 2.11 (23)

By Tim O’Connor

GORDON has landed victory over a major player for the first time this season, beating Hepburn by 21 points on Saturday.

The Eagles had failed in their big tests this year, but kept its top four hopes alive with an important success away from home.

Adam Toohey stared in defence for the Eagles, which held the Burras scoreless in the opening term to set up the win.

Hepburn coach Jason Olver was left frustrated by his side’s performance, with his statistics showing the Burras had 60 inside 50m entries compared to the Eagles’ 32.

“We missed seven goals within 20m of goal under not much pressure. I know the ball was sloppy, but you expect better than that,” he said.

Olver said Hepburn, which has lost its past three matches to slip to sixth on the table, was best served by onballer Dan O’Halloran.

Gordon is now fifth on the ladder, equal on points with fourth-placed Waubra.

Dunnstown 11.7 (73) d Ballan 9.6 (60)

By Tim O’Connor

DUNNSTOWN’S season was on the line and the Towners stood tall.

Coach Justin Abrams and his men kept in touch with the top eight thanks to a fighting victory against Ballan on Saturday.

The Towners were blown away in a slick opening term from the hosts – which led by 26 points at the first change – but proved the better team across the duration of the match.

Dunnstown put the clamps on after quarter time and hit the lead during the third quarter before the scores sat tied at the final break.

The Towners broke the match open with the first three majors of the last term, the Blues then trimmed it to seven points before Rhys Cahir did some clever crumbing and banged home the sealer in the closing minutes of the game.

“We said ourselves it was a mini final today. We desperately needed to win the game,” Abrams said.

“We can’t worry about other results, that’s the other thing. Internally, we just need to keep winning games. We just keep our season alive at this point, so that’s great.”

Cahir kicked four goals for the Towners to be the leading scorer on the ground, while onballer Sam Jenkins, ruckman Mark Stewart and forward Peter McGettigan also impressed. Will Barker-Lovett was named best by the club. For Ballan, onballers Darren Tanti and Jason McNamara were busy, while coach Justin McConnell tried hard to get his side into the game, kicking three majors.

Dunnstown is now just four points behind the eighth-placed Blues.

Clunes 13.8 (86) d Smythesdale 6.16 (52)

By Tim O’Connor

CLUNES capitalised on a wasteful Smythesdale to land a second triumph in season 2016.

The Magpies broke their duck against Carngham-Linton a few weeks ago and backed it up with a 34-point win at home on Saturday.

Scores were level at the long break before Clunes kicked eight goals to two in the second half to clinch the result.

Magpies vice-captain Jason Yole said Smythesdale dominated the second term, but inaccurate kicking and some great defence “kept us right in the game”.

“A few adjustments after half time by the coaching staff in terms of how we were moving the ball fixed that and we ran away in the second half,” Yole said.

Smythesdale’s Tom Nankivell was sent from the field for charging Clunes big man Mark Paramonov in the third term.

Bulldogs coach Stephen Frys said the Magpies piled on the goals during this period when the team was forced to play a man down.

“They probably played better as a team. They played as a team and we had a few really good individual efforts, but we had too many passengers,” Frys said.

Ruckman Rylan Rattley, defender Brad Dunbar and midfielder Anthony Taylor led the way for the Bulldogs, while onballer Michael Milne, forward Matthew Wrigley – with his four goals – and Paramonov shone for the winners.

Clunes’ Aiden Thompson dislocated his hip and was taken to hospital, while Nankivell has accepted a one-week set suspension after being booked for his charge on the Clunes ruckman.

Learmonth 8.9 (57) d Rokewood-Corindhap 4.4 (28)

By Tim O’Connor

LEARMONTH added some more respectability to its season with a 29-point victory against Rokewood-Corindhap.

Playing coach Brenton Powell was a standout as the Lakies claimed their second win in succession and fifth of the campaign on Saturday.

Ben Harris earned best afield honours for the Grasshoppers, which trailed by nine points at the final change, but were overrun by the hosts in the last term.

Daylesford 14.19 (103) d Carngham Linton 0.5 (5)

By Tim O’Connor

DAYLESFORD furthered its push for a spot in this year’s finals series with a thumping win over Carngham-Linton.

The Bulldogs moved level on points with the eighth-placed Ballan thanks to a 98-point triumph over the Saints on Saturday.

Cummings brothers Ken and Michael were influential in attack, finishing with four and three goals respectively, while coach Marcus Goonan rated Pat Helper’s performance as perhaps the best in an even team display.

Goonan said he even rested some of his players during the course of the match.

Carngham-Linton managed just five behinds to be held goalless for the first time since late in season 2012.

Samuel Cosgriff and Justin O’Brien were named as the leading contributors for the visitors.

Daylesford, which has won its past four games, is expected to beat Rokewood-Corindhap and Smythesdale in upcoming fixtures before what could be a final-round battle for eighth spot against Dunnstown.

Carngham-Linton takes on Springbank next Saturday.

Waubra 8.12 (60) d Springbank 6.2 (38)

By John McGregor

WAUBRA bounced back from last week’s shock loss to beat Springbank in a dogged last half on Saturday.

In wet and heavy conditions at Wallace, the visitors ran out 22-point winners.

The Roos appeared to be the underdogs on paper as the Tigers bolstered their line-up with experienced players.

Billy Driscoll, Tyler George, Tim Malone and Andrew Tyler returned to the Springbank side which had only dropped one game this season.

With the home ground advantage, the Tigers were strong favourites to win.

The Roos burst that bubble in the first term, dictating play and leading by 20 points at the first break.

It was a mighty fightback by Springbank in the second quarter, with a four-goal burst that gave it a two-point lead at half time.

A crushing third term by Waubra saw goals from Tom Nijam and Tim Boyle swing the lead back. Springbank was held scoreless.

The final quarter was slugged out toe-to-toe by the weary sides, with the last goal kicked by Roo Will Corbett.

Waubra’s best included Boyle, who booted three majors, Nijam, Lincoln Barnes and ruckman Matthew Wapling.

Big efforts also came from Matt Dawson, Nickolas Aringo, Matt James and Ashley Ballinger.

“Waubra rebounded after last week’s defeat, and we perhaps relied on too few today. You can go through stats and a few things like that, but at the end of the day our mindset just wasn’t there. On paper it looked like the strongest side we’ve had this season.”

Following Saturday’s result, Waubra has climbed to fourth on the ladder at the expense of Hepburn, while Springbank has slipped to third.

The Roos now plan for a clash with Newlyn next weekend, while the Tigers prepare for a battle with Carngham-Linton.

Newlyn 8.13 (61) d Skipton 3.4 (22)

By Tim O’Connor

NEWLYN was expected to get the job done against lowly Skipton on Saturday. And it did.

The Cats brushed aside a run of three-straight defeats to land their fifth success of the campaign by 39 points.

A five-goal second term was important in the end result, with assistant coach Dan Wehrung and Sam Curran named best for the hosts.

Skipton was best served by Tim Huglin and Brett Conroy.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.